Judges 9:19 - if you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal and with his house today, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you;
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What does "Judges 9:19" mean?
This verse from Judges 9:19 is part of a speech delivered by Jotham, Gideon's youngest son, from the top of Mount Gerizim to the people of Shechem. Let's break down its meaning:
"if you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal and with his house today..."
Jerubbaal: This is another name for Gideon.
His house: Refers to Gideon's family, specifically his sons.
Truly and righteously: This is the crucial part. Jotham is questioning whether the people of Shechem acted justly and honestly in how they treated Gideon's descendants, especially in their support of Abimelech. Remember, Abimelech had murdered almost all of his brothers (Gideon's sons) to secure the kingship. Jotham is suggesting that if their support of Abimelech was rooted in genuine gratitude and respect for Gideon's service to Israel, then maybe their actions could be somewhat justified.
"...then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you;"
Rejoice in Abimelech: If they had acted honorably towards Gideon's family, then they should be happy with Abimelech as their king.
Let him also rejoice in you: And Abimelech should be happy with their loyalty and support.
In essence, Jotham is delivering a scathing sarcasm. He's deeply suspicious of their motives and casts doubt on their actions. He implies that if they honestly believe they did right by Gideon's memory by supporting Abimelech's brutal rise to power, then they can all be happy together. However, the underlying message is that they have betrayed Gideon's legacy and acted treacherously.
The deeper meaning and context:
Warning: Jotham is actually delivering a curse (foreshadowing) in the guise of a conditional blessing. He knows the Shechemites' support for Abimelech is likely based on self-interest and political opportunism, not true righteousness.
Irony: The verse is dripping with irony. Jotham is using the language of blessing to highlight the corruption and wickedness of the situation.
Foreshadowing: Jotham's speech predicts the eventual downfall of both Abimelech and the people of Shechem, which is exactly what happens later in the chapter (Judges 9).
In conclusion, Judges 9:19 is not a genuine blessing. It's a rhetorical weapon Jotham uses to expose the hypocrisy and injustice of the Shechemites' actions, and it serves as a prophecy of their impending doom. He's saying, "If you truly believe you've done right, then be happy together. But you haven't, and your actions will have consequences."
Judges 9:19 - if you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal and with his house today, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you;
What does "Judges 9:19" mean?
This verse from Judges 9:19 is part of a speech delivered by Jotham, Gideon's youngest son, from the top of Mount Gerizim to the people of Shechem. Let's break down its meaning:
"if you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal and with his house today..."
Jerubbaal: This is another name for Gideon.
His house: Refers to Gideon's family, specifically his sons.
Truly and righteously: This is the crucial part. Jotham is questioning whether the people of Shechem acted justly and honestly in how they treated Gideon's descendants, especially in their support of Abimelech. Remember, Abimelech had murdered almost all of his brothers (Gideon's sons) to secure the kingship. Jotham is suggesting that if their support of Abimelech was rooted in genuine gratitude and respect for Gideon's service to Israel, then maybe their actions could be somewhat justified.
"...then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you;"
Rejoice in Abimelech: If they had acted honorably towards Gideon's family, then they should be happy with Abimelech as their king.
Let him also rejoice in you: And Abimelech should be happy with their loyalty and support.
In essence, Jotham is delivering a scathing sarcasm. He's deeply suspicious of their motives and casts doubt on their actions. He implies that if they honestly believe they did right by Gideon's memory by supporting Abimelech's brutal rise to power, then they can all be happy together. However, the underlying message is that they have betrayed Gideon's legacy and acted treacherously.
The deeper meaning and context:
Warning: Jotham is actually delivering a curse (foreshadowing) in the guise of a conditional blessing. He knows the Shechemites' support for Abimelech is likely based on self-interest and political opportunism, not true righteousness.
Irony: The verse is dripping with irony. Jotham is using the language of blessing to highlight the corruption and wickedness of the situation.
Foreshadowing: Jotham's speech predicts the eventual downfall of both Abimelech and the people of Shechem, which is exactly what happens later in the chapter (Judges 9).
In conclusion, Judges 9:19 is not a genuine blessing. It's a rhetorical weapon Jotham uses to expose the hypocrisy and injustice of the Shechemites' actions, and it serves as a prophecy of their impending doom. He's saying, "If you truly believe you've done right, then be happy together. But you haven't, and your actions will have consequences."